


A Strange Request at a Piano Bar

by Altraya



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Lunoct Celebration Days
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-11 08:02:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20542802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Altraya/pseuds/Altraya
Summary: Prince Noctis adores the lovely blonde who plays piano, but it takes losing a bet to get him to approach her





	A Strange Request at a Piano Bar

**Author's Note:**

> This story came about from a prompt writing journal. "Write the story: A strange request at a piano bar. Include the following in your story: -carnival -sprained -mask -oxidation -awkward -apple -juvenile -controversy -twirl -sassafras"

"Now's your chance," Gladiolus smirked, nudging his royal charge and pointing toward the bar. "A bet's a bet, and you lost. Get going."

Noctis frowned into his disappointingly empty glass. Yes, sure, he did very much want to speak with the beautiful blonde who had been playing piano just before. But not under these circumstances! Of course, if left to his own devices, he was unlikely to muster up the courage to do it at all.

A boot suddenly stuck itself between the legs of his chair, and when Gladio took his leg back, Noct's chair spun around with a horrendous screech. Several people turned at the sound, including the angel of gold and white. Shooting his guard a glare, Noct got up and his awkward emotions behind a well trained mask of princely pride.

Leaning an elbow on the counter, Noct spoke up to the bartender. "Apple martini," he ordered, feeling a heat rise in his face. He did like the drink, but he liked appearing cool far more. The order was part of the bet however, and he turned with a confidence he didn't feel, giving the pianist a smile. "You're beautiful. I! I mean, your music is beautiful! I mean, you are too, but, I just, I...," he trailed off at her knowing giggles, and he rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "S-Sorry. Let me try again. I'm Noct."

"Lunafreya," she answered, holding out a hand. Her voice was as musical as the rest of her. Whatever that meant. He was damn glad he hadn't said that one out loud. Any moment nnow, he expected his ID to be double-checked, he was behaving like a juvenile.

He shook her hand, feeling her warmth only along the fingers of his sprained hand clad in a cloth brace. She smiled and he knew his time was running out. Drawing in a deep breath, he let it out in a torrent of words, his eyes fixed on the wine twirling in her glass, watching the oxidation instead of her face as he torpedoed all chances to get to know her better. "Do you take requests? Because I was wondering, there's this carnival song I love, I don't know the name, but it goes like," he paused to pound down the martini right when it was set before him. He missed the change in her expression as he did, but the snort of laughter she hid behind a sip of deep red wine was a final encouragement as he quietly sang some very embarrassing lyrics.

"Oh, lay me down low, on the hills that roll and flow, where the sassafras does grow, and the root beer is so cooold!"

He held the last note for a moment, his voice soft and heard by only her. And the bartender, Noct realized, as a snort of stunned laughter alerted him. His face burned, and the man set down a much needed double of cheap vodka, which Noct seemed to expertly tilt back. The drink made it down, but the speed was a mistake, as Noct sputtered and coughed, and dumbly repeated with the next drink set in front of him.

Holding his head as vodka and wine went straight to his brain, he shyly picked his head back up to look at the lovely musician's face. She was laughing, but somehow it didn't seem to be so much at _him_, as the simple antics themselves.

"I... I'm sorry," he mumbled, gaze turning down to his hands as the drink buzzed through him. "I, uh, I lost a bet. That's why, the dumb song... Please, don't play that. Play something good. Something beautiful. Like you..." He risked another peek as he mumbled, and saw a flicker of confused disappointment turn into shy amusement. Her ears were tinged pink, the only sign of the blush hidden under her makeup. Had, had all of that actually _worked_!? He was stunned by that thought, and his brain further shut down when Lunafreya stood up, took his hand, and raised it to brush her lips across his knuckles as though she were the prince, not him.

"If you stick around, please, see me when I'm done for the night. As long as the request was the only part that was a bet." She said it like a statement, but her eyes held question.

"It was!" he rushed to assure her, "I will!"

She smiled at him, and returned to the stage. That was the last night she performed at that particular lounge, and it was the beginning of their relationship. There came to be some controversy around the pairing, the prince and the pianist who lost her reputation because of her new penchant for performing cheesy, uninspired carnival music, no matter the venue's prestige.


End file.
